Thai Airways Makes Huge Loss

[dbrenn]

Thai aren't all that bad - some of the planes are getting on a bit, but overall the experience for me has usually been satisfactory or better. There was one exception on a flight from Singapore to Bangkok when the plane counld't retract its undercarriage and had to return to Singapore airport shortly after taking off - twice!

How scary.

Last time I was up with Thai, we were without power for something that was proably a half minute or so (it did feel like a lot more than that) about half way between Ko Samui and Bangkok. Extremely professional stewardess smiling from ear to ear with her lips, but the eyes were anything but happy. And her skin actually got a slight greyish tint...

I got so phobic that I started to make plans to go home to Norway by train. As far as i know, with a possible exception for the VN-CH border, it could be done from Saigon.

It could probably happen with any airline, but I'm not going anywhere with Thai for a looong time...

The undercarriage problem was a bit scary - the constant clunking sound as the pilot repeatedly tried to retract the undercarriage, the hostesses smiling but you could see that they were worried, the dreaded 'technical problems, we are returning to the airport' announcement, the conspicuous formation of firetrucks deployed beside the runway as we landed in case the undercarriage collapsed. What really surprised me was that we waited two hours while they fixed it, then exactly the same thing happened again. This was flying out of Singapore, so not sure whether it was a Thai or Singaporean engineer who was supposed to have fixed the problem.

Anyway, statistically Thai airways do not have too bad a safety record. The budget arlines in Thaiand are a different story, as another poster has pointed out - Phuket Airlines was banned from EU airspace and was no longer allowed to fly to London, for example.

We can fret about airline safety all we like, but anyone living in Thailand is far, far more likely to die on the road to the airport than in the plane.

[thommo46]

My wife and son are flying to Brisbane Aust, next week.So much for the cheap airfares with thaiair. Singapore Air $500 dollars cheaper for return airfares. I have flown with both Thai air and Singapore in cattle class and both are on a par.

Thommo.

[Ricardo]

As far as Thailand goes I won't be returning in the near future until the country is more stable and has at least two fully working international airports, one in the south and one in the north.

Erm ... Chiang Mai in the north, and Phuket or Hat Yai in the South, so it's already safe to return again by your criteria, in fact it always was, even during the 1-week problem in Bangkok.

Myself I wouldn't want to risk the UK, with all the goings-on at Stansted, and Heathrow almost closed by the snow, and please don't let me get started about 'Chairman Brown' and political or economic stability ! I'll just get my jacket !

[marsteele]

The missus is flying with them to Thailand in June, she chose them over BA and Emirates because she'll be travelling with a 21 month old toddler and will be 5 months pregnant so she thinks, and I agree with her, if the trolley dollies are thai then she might get more help, we'll see.

I personally think thai airways are great. I fly with them up to 10 times per year from Melbourne to Chiangmai. Great service and very friendly staff but maybe I bias because I have a friend who is a stewardess on there. No not my wife.

I must agree with another writer tho who commented on thier frequent flyers program after flying with them 18 times in the last 2 years I still have not got enough points for a free coffee.

The recent unrest in Thailand has done a great disservice to thai airways the last few times I have flown the plane has been nearly empty. Great for me get a good nights sleep and stretch out across the seats.

[thaimate]

I used to fly with them on business, a 9 hour flight to sydney on a plane without seat back tvs, also on returning from singapore regularly the plane would park away from the terminal and we get bussed to the terminal, I can get that from air asia for half the price. little things like this and higher prices all add up in the end to dissatisfaction.

I think they got a little above themselves

i agree ,i used to use them but now they are way to expensive and not to hot on service ,use either eva or emirates now.

[mdechgan]

Is it possible to lose this much money for 1 year and still be in business.

If Thai doesn't get a rescue package what will happen? Any chance TG will go under?

[wileycoyote]

I think they will get government money to save face

[3zie]

I'm surprised that they claim a 4.5 billion loss because of the weakening Baht. Yes, Baht has weakened against US$ , but the Baht has strengthened dramatically against so many other currencies in 2008.

Yes the Baht has strengthened dramatically but only during the second part of 2008. If we look to Euro-Baht pre-August the opposite was true where a (based on last 3years) normal excange rate of Euro to Baht should be +_46-47baht/Euro dropped to 53-54Baht/Euro. This combined with the weakened BAht against US$ does not surprise me that they have this loss.

[Garry]

Thai aren't all that bad - some of the planes are getting on a bit, but overall the experience for me has usually been satisfactory or better. There was one exception on a flight from Singapore to Bangkok when the plane counld't retract its undercarriage and had to return to Singapore airport shortly after taking off - twice!

How scary.

Last time I was up with Thai, we were without power for something that was proably a half minute or so (it did feel like a lot more than that) about half way between Ko Samui and Bangkok. Extremely professional stewardess smiling from ear to ear with her lips, but the eyes were anything but happy. And her skin actually got a slight greyish tint...

I got so phobic that I started to make plans to go home to Norway by train. As far as i know, with a possible exception for the VN-CH border, it could be done from Saigon.

It could probably happen with any airline, but I'm not going anywhere with Thai for a looong time...

Well,, I can't see them updating the cabin interiors for awhile with their current operating losses. Business Class cabin furniture on the Middle East leg is worn out old rubbish.

[samran]

Well,, I can't see them updating the cabin interiors for awhile with their current operating losses. Business Class cabin furniture on the Middle East leg is worn out old rubbish.

I've just flown to Dubai on SQ (business). Sounds like I had the good fortune to have Thai business all booked out for that leg, so I got shunted onto SQ instead!

[MaiChai]

Thai has gone down hill. Increased ticket prices and reduced level of service. Planes are looking old and tired with little effort to keep up with the competition. Not particularly well managed, either. People vote with their feet; go with who offers the best price/service. I very much enjoyed Eva recently, and even Quantas BKK-LHR is now a very enjoyable experience (refreshed cabin layouts/ enterntainment unit/tv in the headrest/service brought up to Asian standards). Funny how things change? Never though I would be praising Quantas